Well-pumping apparatus



Spt. 6, 1927.

J. B/HAWLEY, JR

WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 6, 1927.

J. B. H-AWLEY, JR WELL PUMPING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\ JOHN B. HAWLEY, JIL, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO HAWLEY INVEN- TIONS, INCORPORATED, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF DELA WARE.

WELL-PUMPING APPARATUS.

This invention has to do with improvements' in oil well pumping units. It has to do particularly with improvements for deep well pumping and where'it is desired to secure a practically continuous suction and delivery of the oil.

One feature of the invention relates to the provision of a construction of pump in which the motive power is derived from an electric motor operating in direct connection with the pumpinglelement; and in this connection one object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the up-fiowing oil or other liquid will be compelled to travel along the face of the motor element before reaching the pumping unit. This will insure a most satisfactory and efficient cooling action, so that it will be possible to operate the pumping unit at a maximum load factor and cause it to deliver a maximum amount of power with a minimum size and weight.

More particularly, the above object is'attained by placing the motor element immediately below the pumping element, so that when the entire unit is set down into the well casing the desired relationship and flow of liquid will be secured.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a construction of pumping unit of such a nature that it is unnecessary to seal oif the well casing at the position of the pumping unit during operation. In other words, the arrangement is such that the proper flow and pumping action will be secured without any need of a special packer element to seal oif the well casing.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a construction such that the oil or other liquid is delivered centrally from the upper end of the pumping element,

and may then be taken directly into a suitable tubing and delivered up through the height of the well. By this arrangement not only is the need of a special packer element eliminated, but due to the fact that the entire well casing above the position of the pumping unit is not filled with liquid, it becomes unnecessary to take any very special precautions to insulate 'the electric conductors reaching down through the well casing to the motor unit.

Another feature of the invention relates Application filed. February 15, 1926. Serial No. 88,238.

to the provision of a complete pumping unit which is enclosed within a cylindrical shell of proper size to set down into the well casing. The motor element is placed in the lower end of this cylindrical shell and the pumping element in the upper end thereof. The cylindrical shell itself is made of such size as to allow for a proper flow of the oil or other liquid up along the sides of the shell and motor unit contained therein,'and between the shell and the well casing. The entire unit is readily supported from above by the same pipe or conduit which isused for carrying up the liquid as delivered.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a motor unit which is provided with a substantially liquid-tight casing within which are contained the rotor and stator elements, preferably in the form of a polyphase alternating-current motor. The interior of this casing is preferably filled with a suitable oil which serves to efliciently insulate the electric conductors, greatly assisting in carrying away the heat generated in the rotor and stator so as to life of operation.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter .described and claimed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows a vertical, longitudinal sec tion through the pump element of the unit, including also the coupling;

Fig. 2 shows a vertical, longltudin'al section through the motor element, being in reality a section in the nature of a continuation of the section of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a horizontal cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows;

. Fig 4 shows a horizontal cross-section on vdi l the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows; and

Fi 5 shows a horizontal cross-section on the line 55 of Fig. 1, looking; downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

The well casing is designated by the numeral 7. Within it is placed the pumping unit to which this invention relates. This pping unit includes a motor element 8 at its lower end and a pumping element 9 at its upper end and above the osition of the motor element. The motor e ement prefer-,

ably takes the form of a polyphase alternatin-current motor having the stator 10 and Fa: rotor 11 mounted upon and driving the shaft 12. Said shaft extends vertically, its lower end bein carried by a ball step-bearing 13 which 1s seated within a lower head 14. This ball step-bearing may be adjusted up and down a slight amountalgrmeans of the screw-threaded stud thre ed up through the head 14 and provided with a lock nut 16. The stud 15 works against the bottom face of a pan 17, upon which rests the outer, stationary raceway of the hall bearing 13.

The upper end of the motor shaft 12 is preferably journaled within a ball bearing 18 set into the upper head 19. Said upper head is preferably provided with a suitable packing joint 20 so that the shaft can be operated in an oil-tight manner at the position where it passes through the upper head.

Preferably, a stufied connection 21 is established in the upper head 19 at the point where the electric cable 22 passes through said upper head, so as to prevent leakage at this point also.

Above the motor element is placed the pumping element 9. The same preferably comprises a multiple-gear pump, althou h other suitable forms of rotary pump mig t be substituted therefor as far as certain features of the invention are concerned.

In the construction illustrated, the pump takes the form of the top and bottom blocks '23 and 24, together wlth an intermediate hardened late 25. Within this hardened plate are coated the three pairs of pump gears 2627, 28-29, and 303l, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4. The gears 26, 28 and 30 are all meshed with a central drivin gear 32 which is keyed to a central stud s aft 33. The lower end of this stud shaft is drivingly connected to the upper end of the motor shaft 12 in any convenient manner. I prefer to use a coupling including the upper and lower flanges 34 and 35' on the two shafts, together with an intermediate disk or series of disks 36,- to which the upper and lower flanges are secured by studs 37. Preferably, there are two of these studs extending between the disk or disks 36 and each of the flanges, the studs for one flange being set at right angles to ends.

those for the other, so that only one pair of studs shows in Fig. 1, although one of the other studs shows in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The bottom and to faces of the top and bottom blocks 23 an 24, respectively, are suitably channeled or otherwise formed to insure the proper circulation of oil between the inlet and outlet connections and the various pumps. An inlet passage 38 extends up through the lower block 24 and delivers Oll to a recess 39, from which the oil is delivered to the gear pump 2829. From this pump said oil is delivered to a recess 40 in the top face of the bottom block 24. This recess 40 connects with a passage 41 which is drilled through the block 24 to a position near the outer edge thereof, where itcommunicates directly with another passage 42 reaching backwardly through the block 24 and communicating with a recess 43 at the inlet side of the gear pump 3031. From this gear pump 3031 the oil is delivered.

to another recess 44 in the top face of the bottom block 24. The recess 44 communicates by a passage 45 in the block 24 with another passage 46 in said block, said passages being joined together near their outer From the passage 46 the oil is delivered to a recess 47 in the top face of the bottom block 24. From this recess the oil is delivered to the gear pump 26-27, from which it is finally delivered to a recess 48 in the top face of the bottom block 24.

There are preferabl tom face of the top b ock 23 recesses corresponding to the recesses 39, 40, 43, 44 and 47, 48, respectively, said recesses 1n the top formed on the'botblock 23 beingdesignated 39, 40 43, 44

and 47, 48, respectively.

From the recess 48 of the top block 23 i there extends upwardly a delivery passage 49' which reaches over and communicates with a centrally-placed chamber 50 w1th1n the stud 51, which reaches upwardly from the top block 23. This stud in turn constitutes a convenient element to which to attach a delivery pipe 52 which reaches up a short distance and then connects with a larger discharge pipe 53 by means of the adapter coupling 54. The entlre unit may be suspended .within the well casing by means of the discharge pipe 53.

The u perv and lower motor'heads 19 and 14, together with the upper and, lower pump blocks 23 and 24 of the pump element, are joined together by a cylindrlcal casing 55 into a complete self-contained unit. This casing 55 serves not only to keep the parts 55 by means of a lower Nil to force the entire motor unit upwards until stopped by a shoulder 57 in the casing 55. A pair of sleeves 55 and 59 are set into the casing 55 above the position of the motor ele- These will insure a thoroughly oil-tight en closure for the motor element when assembled.

Another sleeve 64 is placed within the cas ing 55 immediately above the position of the upper head 19 and serves to retain the pumping element properly spaced within the casing 55. Rings 65 and 66 are threaded into the casing 55 above thepumping element so as to force the same home against the sleeve 64.

The casing 55 and sleeve 64 are provided with one or more inlet openings 67 between the upper motor head 19 and the lower pump head 24, so as to allow the oil or otherliquid to flow inwardly in order to reach the inlet side of the pumping element. These openings 67 are preferably protected by relatively fine screens 68, as shown in Fig. 2.

Preferably, the upper and lower blocks 23 and 24 of the pumping element are drawn solidly together so as to firmly clamp the intermediate plate 25, by means of a series of through bolts 69 and 70 (shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5). At a position intermediate between these through bolts, the pump blocks 23 and and 24 are preferably recessed, as shown at 71, for the accommodation of a section of tubing 7 2, through which the electric wires are passed and carried downwards to the motor element.

As a matter of convenience in construction, the passages 41 and 42. and 45 and 46, in the lower pump block 24, are drilled inwardly from the outer periphery of said block to establish the proper communications; and then the outer ends of these passages are sealed ofi' by means of plugs 73 and 74. These plugs, however, do not reach in far enough to completely obstruct any one of the passages, but simply to prevent communication with the outside of the pumplng element.

'While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself to the same except as I may do so in the claims.

I claim:

1. A well pumping unit comprising in combination a cylindrical shell of proper size to set down into a well casing and allow free circulation of oil between the shell and the well casing, a motor element in the lower end of the shell, a pumping unit in the upper end of the shell, suitable driving connections within the shell and between the motor and pumping elements, there being an opening in the shell for the admission of liquid to the inlet side of the pumping element, and a suitable discharge connection from the discharge side of the pumping element, together with means for retainlng the motor and pum ing elements separated from each other within the shell, and means for forcing the motor and pumping elements against said separating means, substantially as described.

A well pumping unit comprising in combination a cylindrical shell of proper size to set down into a Well casing and allow free circulation of oil between the shell and the casing, a motor element within said shell at one end thereof, a pumping element within said shell at the other end thereof, suitable driving connections within the shell and between said motor and pumping elements, there being an opening in the shell for the admission of liquid to the inlet side of the pumping element, and a suitable discharge connection from the discharge side of the pumping element, a retaining means at one end of said shell, means for positioning the motor and pumping elements in spaced relation to said retaining means and to each other, and means for holding said pump and motor elements within the shell in said spaced relation.

JOHN B. HAWLEY, JR. 

